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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

When I met Kylie

Completely off topic but are you watching The Voice? Isn't it nice to see our Kylie back on home soil after almost an eternity living abroad?

Our Kylie.

I love seeing her back in the limelight and sitting on the judging panel alongside Ricky, Joel and Will.I.Am. Still gorgeous. Whatever you say about Kylie, anyone that has survived in show business that long and still has their head screwed on get's a massive thumbs up in my book.

I freely admit to having a total girl crush on Kylie Minogue. It started back in the 80's when a Tomboy Charlene fell in love with Scott in Neighbours. I could then be found singing her catchy tunes in front of the bedroom mirror with my baby sister's Fisher Price toy microphone. At one point my obsession morphed into a total copycat phase where I dressed in similar clothes - think black and white striped top and matching pants with thick elastic belt - complete with the obligatory 80's spiral perm. All my Christmases came at once the year our dance class had "The Locomotion" as our dance song. Every year when May 28 rolls around I remember it's her Birthday (2 weeks after mine) - Happy 45th Birthday Kylie!

On the 31st of December 1997 I found myself actually sitting next to the Pop Princess on a plane from Dallas to Vancouver. Can you imagine?! I had just spent Christmas with my Grandmother in Texas and was heading up to Canada to spend a year at the University of British Columbia. And there she was, sitting right there minding her own business and casually dressed in brown corduroy pants, a maroon tank top and her hair in low messy pigtails. Utterly gorgeous. I was quietly hyperventilating into my packet of peanuts.

There was no way I was going to sit there and not say anything but just how does one strike up a conversation with someone famous without sounding like a complete Tosser?

I mulled over this predicament for a good half hour and the best I could come up with was "um, ....Kylie?" to which she flashed a smile and said "yeah". And then we started chatting. We chatted about normal stuff. Where are you living? Where are you off to? How have you been spending your time? Missing home much? That sort of thing. At the end of the day I like to think that if I was famous I'd still have my feet firmly on the ground and would appreciate some normal conversation and to be treated like a normal person. Gushing fans would surely become tedious after the first 10 years don't you think? :-)

She told me she had just spent Christmas with friends in Florida and was now heading up to Vancouver and then not to Whistler for New Years Eve. She said she was living in London, that she was working on some 'projects' (cue her massive come-back with "Fever"), that she misses Australia, that she had just been back in Australia for Michael Hutchence's funeral, and so on. She was interested in what I was doing too and as we left the plane she waved me off and said "hope you have a great year away!" And that was that. A nicer, more down-to-earth person you couldn't meet. It was so normal. So normal I couldn't even bring myself to ask for a photo. It would have cheapened the entire experience.

Back to The Voice, I love all the Judges and despite my soft spot for Kylie, I confess to being on Team Ricky. I just adore that guy. He brought me to tears the other night when he 'saved' 2 people and kept their dreams alive for another week. In his words, "the journey with Team Ricky doesn't finish with the Show".

Nevertheless, I was telling the Kids about the time I met Kylie which prompted a lovely trip down memory lane watching some of her old video clips. This is one of my favourites - so sweet, so innocent, so cheesy, Jason couldn't look more awkward if he tried. Kylie writes a love letter with an actual pen and real paper - those were the days! Enjoy!

Are you a fan of The Voice? Which Team would you choose? Have you found yourself accidentally sitting next to a famous person?

42 comments
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I love Kylie. Love her to bits. Always have since the Charlene days. She's the awesomest and I'm very jelly that you got to meet her! My sister and I used to say that she was Kylie and I was Dannii. I don't really know why we said that, but we did!

We loved YTT! I remember Dannii being on Home and Away as well! I've caught a few old-school H&A eps from the 90's when they've been repeated on the telly - it always cracks me up! The hair! The clothes!

She really was a very nice person. I'm not a huge fan of reality shows either but if I happen to pop the TV on and see the first episode of something I get a little bit hooked, which is what happened here x

I I just love the voice and totally in love with Ricky.... He appears to be a really down to earth respectful caring person. I love the way he makes everyone feel important and his smile and OMG he's a hunk (apart from the fact that he is famous and bats for the other team) I still love the guy and his smile. I was never a fan of neighbours but I did live in Melbourne for 2 years and one year was spent just down the road from the "real neighbours street that they film the show on". I also worked with a guy who 's brother has been on the show for over 20 years. Can't remember the brothers name. I also love the voice because we are watching the too picks and not like Australia's got a talent where every joker gets to sing or dance. The voice is such a professional classy show and I love it. Sitting next to Kylie sounds like a real buzz. I really feel sorry for her because all she's wanted to do was get married and have a baby. I always imagine her giving her concerts to lots of people but then in a hotel room alone and how does one date Kylie unless they themselves are famous. And of course when he ex Martinez ended up Hally Berry and gave her a baby I couldn't help feel sorry for Kylie. Love the Locomotion song too. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane

I watched the current affair program on Ricky the other night and he seemed so genuine. He is insanely popular in South America - the poor guy can't even leave his Hotel room without a motorcade getting him from A to B...x

You met Kylie?!!!!! I have such admiration for her. Loved her in neighbours and loved her with Jason. Especially for you �� happy carefree days... Still have a lot of time for her. Can't imagine finding myself sitting next to her on a plane. Xxxx

Oh how glorious! I remember the glory days when Scott and Charlene were the stars of Ramsay Street. A few years ago, I visited the Melbourne Museum and the highlight was opening the fridge in the Robinson's kitchen and checking out Scott and Charlene's wedding cake. I've always thought she was a total poppet, and now that I've read your story, I love her a little bit more. I haven't ever sat next to anyone famous, but I did meet Chris Martin from Coldplay years ago before they got really famous. They'd just done a gig at the uni and at the informal after party I offered my services as their personal astrologer (which was a bit strange, as I was a primary school teacher at the time.) The drummer was really rather keen, but Chris wasn't having a bar of it. I guess he already knew that their future would be so bright they'd have to wear shades!

Hey Mel,When I was at Uni, me and my two friends Peter and Nina used to watch a collection of all her videos (around the time of Step Back In Time etc). We loved her big time. I don't tend to watch things like The Voice. I would love to, but am out voted every time. I think I would be in camp Will.i.am. I think he's amazing. Oh and I have a tape recording somewhere of me and the above friends singing Especially For You somewhere. It was part of our own compilation to send to another friend who was home for the summer. Leanne xx

That's so funny Leanne! I agree, strategically I would probably go with Will.I.Am but since I can't sing and I'd be picking a pal I go with Ricky because he has made it clear that you are his friend for life :-) x

Ah Kylie, I will confess to having a poster of her in my bedroom in 1988. Then I went through the Heavy Metal phase and Kylie got taken down off the wall. I wasn't a huge fan but these days I think she's done incredibly well to stay on top for so long. I wish she'd stay away from the botox or whatever she has done to keep such a smooth complexion - her lovely face is starting to get a bit Joan Rivers.I've met and had a chat with a few famous people - Bob Hawke, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch and author Frank McCourt. I adored Dame Elisabeth. I was star struck and completely tongue tied with Frank McCourt and could only squeak out: "Can you sign my book please?"My husband sat behind Sarah Murdoch a few weeks ago on a flight from Sydney to LA. Apparently her kids were amazingly behaved (in business class). I think I'll wait a few more years before taking my 2 on long haul.

What a fun story! I will probably be laughed off your blog for admitting this, but I had never heard of Kylie until reading your blog today. I hope you will allow me to continue commenting in spite of my cultural illiteracy. :-)

Oh wow you have a famous friend! Such a great story and so good to hear she was "normal", I do like The Voice and some of the other talent shows we have here but the rest of the family don't so my watching time is limited!

I love this!!! I watched Neighbours at that time too and loved Kylie and Jason's records. It was so great that you had a "normal" conversation with her and you are right I think, she was probably really happy to just chat to someone like anyone else would. She probably just wondered what took you so long to start the conversation. Your children must have been amazed that you met someone so famous, but I seem to remember your newspaper appearance not that long ago, so they probably already think that you are famous - because you should be!! xx

Go Kylie go! I have a bit of a soft spot for her (but would not admit this anywhere else but here because my children would find me even weirder than I really am). I met a Swiss Federal Councillor once in the supermarket but he was not the kind of politician I wanted to be seen chatting with so I didn't say hello. Btw a Federal Councillor is comparable to a prime minister, there are 7 in Switzerland. It is not uncommon to see them on public transport etc because they don't get limousines, and apparently no one does their grocery shopping either, so nothing nearly as exiting as Kylie. I have no idea what The Voice is.... I hope that is not terribly uncool!

What a lovely story. I think it's easy to forget that the 'famous' person is actually just a person too....I have been watching The Voice too and Kylie does come across as quite down to earth with a bit of a sense of humour. That is when I have been able to tear my gaze away from the delightful Ricky!!x

What a great story! I don't know if I ever would have had the guts to say hello like a "normal" person:) How amazing you went to the University of B.C.. Vancouver is a spectacular city, did you enjoy your time there?

Oh Mel, I always knew we were on the same wavelength. Neighbours was HUGE here in the eighties and nineties and I was obsessed. I loved the Scott and Charlene story line and loved even more the song Especially For You... Ah, you've got me going down memory lane now. So nice to hear she was a properly down to earth type.

But, I'm curious...was she in coach on the plane? Or were you up front in first class?! xx

You know I really enjoyed watching that song. I like how sweet and innocent it was. Hard to find that in a lot of todays music. And I completely agree with you about Kylie. She just seems to have stayed normal and grounded somehow.

What a great story Mel! She sounds perfectly down to earth, although I've always been a fan since way back when I was given my first 'cassette album' of hers for my seventh birthday. I loved 'Especially For You' and 'Tears On My Pillow' and the clip for 'Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi' (yes I just googled how to spell that!!) was another favourite...

There has been some Voive and X factor viewing in our house- predominantly by the 11sy girl and one 15sy boy. I tend to drop off to sleep during it but just because I'm tired. We had a big talk over breakfast today about Ricky and his beautiful children and the fact that he is a gay Dad. Curly conversation for 7 am whilst you get four kiddos ready for school. (One is away).

Ahhh, have always loved Kylie... and definitely had a girl crush on her during the Neighbours years. Seeing her in concert a couple of years back was a huge highlight, she is magnificent! What an exciting story Mel, was kinda hoping to see a pic of the two of you together, but I guess the memory of that plane trip will live on forever anyway xo